From phm@a2e.de Wed, 24 Nov 1999 12:29:40 +0100 (CET)
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 12:29:40 +0100 (CET)
From: PILCH Hartmut phm@a2e.de
Subject: [Patents] prior art certification at ffii.org

>             Also Donations of 20 year old software / source code
> would help as this would also constitute prior art / public domain
> software, as long as the copyright issues can be resolved of
> course. Many programs written for home computers in the late 70's,
> early 80's for example, which may have contained patented material
> will soon go beyond the allowed period for patent protection -
> ideal material for prior art / public domain reference ?

Any software that is even a day older than the patent in question is prior
art.  Even if it is not source code.
 
We have started work of this sort on swpat.ffii.org:  first by archiving
all incremental changes to software publications on a daily basis in a way
that makes it possible to restore any day's state.  This can be done by
many servers.  For FFII.ORG it is becoming an essential part of the
service.  The stuff is stored on CDROM and submitted to a public library
from time to time.

--
phm





